[sahmmum]

My two year old has a blood test last week and I got the results last night. The test said dustmites >100 Very High.

We only have the three bedrooms with carpet the rest is floorboards. My son suffers from both asthma and eczema so to find this out Im hoping I can help my son and make him better. He has been in and out of hospital alot with his asthma.

Im looking for advice on how I can get rid of the dustmites. Thanks

I have another question if a child has a allegery to dustmites is there a link to another allegery eg pet hair? I have it in the back of my mind that my child is allergic to the dog hair because his asthma started around the time we got a dog. Im going to get him tested for it. I try and keep the dog outside I have for months and funny enough we havent had a trip to the hospital for his asthma in months but his eczema is still very bad.



This post has been edited by sahmmum: 16/02/2012, 09:43 AM

[RatbagBob]

You'll never get rid of them completely, but you can minimise them. Vacuum regularly with a strong vacuum cleaner. Get some protectors to go over the mattress, duvet and pillows and wash them regularly in a hot wash with Bosisto's, which you can get in the supermarket. You should also wash sheets in this. Minimise the amount of stuffed toys in and around the bed as these are major dust mite harbourers.

[tothebeach]

So is my son, though we didn't get a formal diagnosis till he was 7. He is also extremely allergic.

As a PP said, his bed is wrapped in an anti-allergy protector as is his pillow. We had no carpets but if we had, we would have pulled them up. Due to the allergy, he has a very disturbed sleep as his body spends the night trying to fight it rather than resting - so for me, carpets would have to go.

I used to give him a little mat to sit on at daycare which I washed regularly and they would take him out of the room if they were vacuuming.

He is also on medication - Fess and Nasonex twice a day.

[Akatara]

Allergy NET

Asthma Foundation

If you google you will find heaps of links. Above is a couple.

Regular washing, vacuuming, and lots of sunlight can help.
You could replace carpets, or at least get them steam cleaned.

[tothebeach]

We have a pillow and mattress cover bought from our ENT. I hadn't heard of duvet protectors - can someone link one, as I will definitely buy one.

Thanks

[LifeGoesOn]

Second the sunlight suggestion as it kills dustmites.

I was allergic to dustmites and had asthma as a child, I remember my mom putting out my pillows/duvet and mattress into direct sunlight.

This post has been edited by LifeGoesOn: 16/02/2012, 09:43 AM

[sahmmum]

He is also on medication - Fess and Nasonex twice a day.

Is this oral medication or the medicated creams?

My son itches that much that he bleeds. Its just horrible makes me feel like a bad mum when people ask what is wrong with him. I do use medicated creams but starting to notice they dont work as much as they did in the begining. Some days he wakes up and looks great other days its terrible.

Thanks for all the repy's I am writing down the tips

[caterpillar~girl]

Shannon also recommends sucking a just-used (still damp) tea bag into the vacuum cleaner bag before you start cleaning, to alleviate dust mites. The tea vapours will kill the mites in the vacuum bag.

Link

This post has been edited by caterpillar~girl: 16/02/2012, 09:52 AM

[mum_mum]

We have a pillow and mattress cover bought from our ENT. I hadn't heard of duvet protectors - can someone link one, as I will definitely buy one.

Thanks

try http://www.allergend.com.au

also latex mattress and pillow may help

edit: and perhaps read http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/forums/ind...howtopic=545356 as well

This post has been edited by mum_mum: 16/02/2012, 10:02 AM

[tothebeach]

Is this oral medication or the medicated creams?

He is on oral steroid medication (Nasonex), topically steroid cream, and flixotide/ventolin for asthma. We also cream him with a non-medicated cream suggested by our dermatologist daily and use wet dressings when he is scratched open and bleeding.